


Before, After, and Always

by GeneratorCat



Category: Batman (Comics)
Genre: Civilian!Tim, Jason still dies, M/M, Tim and Jason meet as kids, Tim never becomes Robin, cue lovey background music, then Jason returns, when Jason is Robin
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-28
Updated: 2017-06-28
Packaged: 2018-11-20 16:25:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 889
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11339100
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GeneratorCat/pseuds/GeneratorCat
Summary: “What’s your name?”“Tim,” he says after a moment.“Robin,” Jason says, offering his gloved hand.Tim laughs. “Yeah I know.”“Oh, right. Yeah. Well I gotta get back.” Jason hooks a thumb over his shoulder. “Batman is waiting for me. Bye, Tim,” he adds with an awkward little wave, resetting his grapple gun and taking aim.He flies out into the night and barely catches the “So cool,” whispered as he goes.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Okay! So, new fic. I was debating whether to wait until I had more written before I started posting, but I really love getting feedback from y'all as I go, and getting ideas and interacting with everyone while I write. I already have it all planned out- in fact I've been wanting to write this story for close to two years, but I wasn't ready to try something so long/involved. I finally want to try to tackle it.
> 
> I have it rated teen, but that is subject to change (much later in the story) because I'm not totally sure where I'll want to go with certain aspects. (To sex or not to sex.)
> 
> Hope you like it!

Jason flips, kicking out and catching the thug right in the jaw. The man drops to the ground with a satisfying thud and Jason grins, arms akimbo. He’s so cool. 

“Watch out, Robin!”

Turning just in time, Jason avoids being whacked over the back of the head, then sends the man sprawling with another well-placed kick. He’s good at those. He looks around for the source of the voice that called out the warning- it definitely wasn’t Batman- but doesn’t see anything. Until he glances up, to the roof of the apartment building they’re fighting behind, and catches a glimpse of something, someone. They’re gone before he can make out anything other than a pale face and dark clothes. 

At the other end of the alleyway Batman stands clutching the last gang member by the collar of his shirt, the tips of his shoes scrambling at the pavement. He asks the man some questions and gets immediate, shaky answers. When he’s satisfied he drops the man, who runs away as if the hounds of hell are chasing him. 

“The Black Mask is expanding his territory,” Bruce reports as they make their way back to the Batmobile. 

“Sounds like we have work to do,” Jason says happily, pounding his fist into his other hand. He likes the  _ smack _ his gloves make when he does that.

He doesn’t tell Bruce about the person on the rooftop. There’s no point, right? The stranger helped him out, when they could have just let him get hit, so that means they’re good. And he doesn’t really want to tell Batman that he made a mistake. He miscounted the men and let his guard down.

He’ll work on that. It won’t happen again, and he won’t give Bruce any reason to doubt him. 

Jason belongs in this suit. He just got it, and he’s not giving it up.

He’ll be the best Robin ever. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since these first chapters are so short I'm going ahead and posting chapter two now.

Jason forgets about the stranger until two months later when he catches a boy falling from a fire escape.

He swings over the street to land on the next building, the kid clutching at him with a fierce grip. When their feet hit the solid roof top the boy doesn’t let go right away and he stands there, staring up at Jason with huge, blue eyes. He doesn’t seem scared at all, though, which Jason finds stange. Most people would be shaken up if they slipped from the eighth story. 

“Um,” Jason eventually says, “you okay?” 

The boy blinks, and then quickly lets go, taking a few steps back. He nods. “Yeah, I’m fine.”

“People usually thank me when I save their life,” Jason says, even though he really doesn’t care about that. He’s just feeling a little awkward from the way he’s being stared at. And it’s not true, anyway. It turns out a lot of people will still find a way to complain even after he’s ushered them out of a burning building. 

“Oh!” The kid smiles. “Thank you,  _ Robin _ ,” he says, sounding downright  _ giddy _ .

“...You’re welcome.” Jason stops himself from shuffling his feet. For the first time he feels slightly silly in his costume.  _ Uniform _ , Bruce’s voice corrects in his head. He clears his throat. 

“What were you doing up there anyway?” Jason asks. The building he fell from is condemned, abandoned but for some particularly desperate squatters. 

“Just… uh, getting some fresh air,” he answers, eyes dropping to his scuffed up shoes. 

“Fresh air,” Jason parrots doubtfully. “It’s two in the morning. You should be at home.” He thinks for a second, about why a kid this young- his guess is about eleven years old- would be out alone, this late, in this part of town. “Do you have a home?”

“Yes,” he says, and it’s strong enough that Jason believes it. 

“Well, then. Go home. You’ll get hurt.”

“I won’t,” the kid mumbles. 

Jason frowns, incredulous. “Are you kidding me? I just plucked you out of the air!”

The boy huffs. “Yeah, but that was- whatever. I’m fine, okay? I can take care of myself.”

“How?” Jason demands. “You’re just a little kid.”

“I’m not a little kid,” the little kid bites back, “and it’s not like I’m useless! I mean, I saved you.” He screws his lips shut, looking like he didn’t mean to say that last part. 

“What do you mean, you saved me?”

He sighs. “A while back, you were getting snuck up on, and I yelled for you to watch out, and it saved you, so. So I helped.” 

“That was you?” Jason asks, remembering now, the flash of a tiny, white face. Just like the one staring back at him. 

The boy nods. 

“...Thanks, then,” Jason says. 

The boy beams. “You’re welcome.”

“What’s your name?”

“Tim,” he says after a moment. 

“Robin,” Jason says, offering his gloved hand. 

Tim laughs. “Yeah I know.” 

“Oh, right. Yeah. Well I gotta get back.” Jason hooks a thumb over his shoulder. “Batman is waiting for me. Bye, Tim,” he adds with an awkward little wave, resetting his grapple gun and taking aim. 

He flies out into the night and barely catches the “So cool,” whispered as he goes.

He hears it though, and Bruce doesn’t ask why he’s grinning so widely the rest of the night, but he keeps shooting Jason these questioning looks.   

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would love and appreciate any comments!


End file.
